Obesity is a major health problem in developed countries. Obesity is associated with a greater risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes and many other serious health problems. In the United States, the complications of overweight and obesity are estimated to affect nearly one in three American adults. Except for rare pathological conditions, weight gain is directly correlated to overeating.
Noninvasive methods for reducing weight include increasing metabolic activity to burn calories and/or reducing caloric intake, either by modifying behavior or with pharmacological intervention to reduce the desire to eat. Other methods include surgery to reduce the stomach's volume, banding to limit the size of the stoma, and intragastric devices that reduce the desire to eat by occupying space in the stomach.
Intragastric volume-occupying devices provide the patient a feeling of satiety after having eaten only small amounts of food. Thus, the caloric intake is diminished while the subject is satisfied with a feeling of fullness.